Meat clamp



Patented Sept. 11, 192'8.

f UNITED STATES JOSEPH HOPKINsoN, or DAYTON, OHIO, AssreNon'To DAYTON scALn COMPANY, or I DAYTON, OHIO, A consensi-Tron or NEW JERSEY.

MEAT 4CLAMP.

Application led May 11,

This invention concerns .a clamping bar of improved characteristics for slicing machines and has for its principal objectV to provide such a clamping bar adapted to automatically conform to the contour ot the material being clamped. y

A furtherobject of the invention is to pro vide a clamping bar ot this nature with a extent in the direction of clamping and in` which displacement of one prong causes displacement of adjacent prongs iny the opposite direction to permit all the prongs of the bar to quickly. and accurately conform to the contour *of` the material being clamped. A y

The vclamping bar `forming `the subject matter of kthe present invention is particulars ly adapted to meat slicing machines of the type shown inthefpatent to Wood 1,558,325, Gctober 20, 1925, andwill be described in connection with a meat slicer as therein disclosed;l yHeretotore the removable clamping element of such machines has usually consisted of a straight bar with tines .or prongs rigidly attached theretovwhich vmay be lowered into contact with the meat being sliced to hold it firmly against the movable lcarriage of the machine; This construction serves very well il the meat being sliced has a smooth horizontal upper surface but it this surface is irregular in form, either some of the prongs do 'not engage they meat atally or t-he higher portions of the meat are damaged'by forcing theV clamping prongstootarinto them. Clamping elements for Vthese machineshave also been made with swivelled clamping elements having theirp'rongs arranged to conform more or less in configuration to certain forms of meat. Here also the same objections apply as the meat to be sliced may be of different configurations, some of i which 192s. serialNo. 108,330.

do not contorni to any predetermined placement ot the tines.

Accordingl to the presentinvention'it is proposed to mount the clamping tinesin the clamping bar so that they may he displaced to a limited extentv on encoumioringthe meat, to permitlhenii to automatically set themselves-'for any surface coniiguration. When all the `tines encounter-'the meat being clamped further movement isprevented sol thatt-he meat is evenly .and lfirmly clamped in place. 7ihis is accomplished byY providing a separate 'resilient mounting ,for each tine so that it is normallyheld in substantially mid position of its travel but on the application of pressure may be displaced 'in either direction ,from 'this normal position. resilient mounting however, is of such .nature that it causes the tine to return tomid posi# tion als soon as thepressure is removed.V v

The invention may be more clearly understood from .the accompanying vdrawings'in which i Fig. 1 shows an elevation of theclamping bar .with certain parts 'broken away to `dis,- close the interior structure.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view.v ofthe clamping .ba #and Fig. 3l shows a side elevation thereof. i

The device consistsiof a main clamping bar 10 havingfholesll at its opposite ends adapted to engage guide rodsfmounted on The y themovablc carriage of a slicing machine.

A cross` shaft 12is,supportedin lugs 13 at the end of' the bar and entends through a hollow .enlargement 14 positioned substantially midway of the bar. The shaft-'12 has small rpinions 25 fast to'l its two ends adapted to mesh with suitable racks'onthe guide rods. An operating handle 15 extends, into the hollow venlargement 14 and'coacts through suitable pawl and ratchet mechanismA (not shown) with thecross` shaft 12. llVhen the handle 15 is in upright position, ay shown inthe drawing there is no operativeconnection between thev handle and the shaftand the bar 1G in this ycase 1s freclymovable up and down its guide rods. Such moven'ientcauses v.the sha-tt 12 to rotate but as thehandle is out of operative connection with it this turninghas no etlect. counterclockwise 'from the position shown 1n Fig. 3 the pawl and ratchet devices enlVhen thek handle is swung.l

gage `and thehan'dle in its downward m'ove-` i rality of clamping elements eaoh comprising a body portion and a tine, said body por tions being inserted in said recess and coaoting with each other` to permit relative longitudinal movement but to prevent rockingmovement, meansfor retaining said body portions in said recess said means including resilient means normally holding said body portions in midposition, and means respon sive to movement'of any of said body portions in one direction to move others of said-body y portionsin the opposite direction.

ll. A clamping bar comprising a supporting structure provided with a recess, a plurality of movable clamping velements each having a body portion extending into said recessto partially fill the same, said body` partially lill the same, said body portions,y 'serving to close the exterior opening of said recess, displaoeable material filling the remaining portion of said recess,V each body` portion being lprovidedvvith a beveled sur# aee to displace said material on inward moveother body portions.

13. A clamping element comprising amovable bar and a plurality of clamping elements individually supported thereon to move transversely thereof in the line of move-y ment of the bar to permit them to independently Aassume a variety oi' clamping positions. i

14. A clamping element comprising a movable bar and a plurality of clamping elements With means for mounting them on the bar -to permit movement of the elements independently of the bar in responseto a clamping operation.`

l5. A clamping element comprising a movable bar and a plurality of clamping "i elements With means 'for yieldably and in dividually mounting them on the'bar to permit independent movement of each relative to the bar in response to a clamping operation.

In testimony whereof I hereto aiiiX my signature.

JOSEPH HOPKINSON.

3o ment thereof to cause outwardmovement of y 

